A Little Piece of Paradise
by Aaunty Pasta
Summary: Marla Gilmore formerly of the Equinox must make a life changing decision when it comes to the Borg baby.


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A Little Piece of Paradise

Aunty Pasta

Colin Raye's album "Counting Sheep" and the fact that Marla was my favorite member of the Equinox crew are the reasons I wrote this. I hope everyone likes it.

Summary: Marla Gilmore formerly of the Equinox must make a life changing decision when it comes to the Borg baby.

Dedication: To my niece Amanda Danielle after whom I named the Borg baby.

Rating: G all the way

If you would like to put this story on your page, just ask. I'll say yes, I just want to know where it will be.

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Kathryn took the child in her arms when the doctor placed her there. Almost instantly, the baby stopped crying. There were many things that she couldn't help feeling as the doctor did his scan. Fear, anger, resentment. Desire. Desire to make a small bundle like this of her own.

The baby was a girl, created and grown for the sole purpose of making her a drone. But she wouldn't be a drone. Kathryn felt unexplainable happiness in the thought that this child could have a somewhat normal life. Then there was the incredible sadness that the child had no one. No one but the crew of Voyager.

She was ready to take this child in. It would most certainly have a better life here than it would as part of the hive. Kathryn could help but be angry at the Borg for even creating this child. Assimilation was one thing but creating a child just to live her life as a Borg... it was beyond her comprehension. But then most of what the Borg did was beyond her comprehension.

She had stopped crying when the doctor gave her to Kathryn. "It looks like she just wanted to be held," he had said. Kathryn felt joy in holding the child. So much joy that she had to restrain herself to keep from planting a gentle kiss on her forehead. 

Kathryn allowed her finger to run down the tiny cheek. The baby's face turned and found the finger to suck gently yet hungrily. Borg implanted yet so... normal. She deserved normal.

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Marla walked the halls of Voyager on her way to sickbay. Stress and noise had given her a splitting headache and she had to get rid of it before she could even think of sleeping. She winced as she went into sickbay. The light hurt her eyes.

"Crewman Gilmore," she heard the EMH program say. "You look like you're in pain."

"I've got a bit of a headache," she said. "I need something for it please."

Doc nodded and left the room as Marla held her fingers on her temples and rubbed at the pain there. Left alone in the room, she was startled by a plaintive cry. She looked around the room until she realized that the cry had come from the tiny incubation unit across the room. Cautiously, she walked over and looked inside.

A tiny newborn Borg baby lay in the incubation unit. She was crying gently and Marla couldn't help but feel something. She reached out and touched her tiny hand. Headache forgotten, she looked at the child and missed her own little sister all the more.

"Marla?" came a questioning voice from behind her. Marla turned to find Captain Janeway standing behind her. "You can hold her if you want."

"That's OK," Marla said as she backed away from the unit. "I- I don't want to overstep my bounds," she finished.

Janeway gently picked the baby up and handed her to Marla. "Nonsense," Janeway said. "She needs to know love and if you are willing to show her some..." Janeway shrugged and stepped back to watch.

Moments later, the doctor joined them and stood at Janeway's side to watch as Marla sang softly to the baby. "_Too ra loo ra loo ral. Too ra loo ra li. Too ra loo ra loo ral, hush now don't you cry. Too ra loo ra loo ral. Too ra loo ra li. Too ra loo ra loo ral it's an Irish lullaby_." She fell silent and looked up at the pair in front of her.

"Irish lullaby?" Janeway asked.

"My mother used to sing it to me," she replied as she carefully lay the now sleeping infant back into the incubation unit.

The doctor held the hypospray up. "For your headache," he said.

Marla lifted her chin slightly and felt the hiss of the medicine enter her bloodstream. "Thank you doctor," she said and with one last touch to the baby, she left the sickbay.

"I believe," Janeway began. "That we have found a mother for our little Borg baby." She glanced at the doctor who nodded.

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Marla curled up in her bed in the quarters she shared with three other crewmembers but she couldn't sleep. She could only think about the tiny Borg baby that lay in sickbay. Looking at the underside of the bunk above her, she hummed the song she had sung in sickbay.

Her bunkmate's head popped over the edge of the bunk above her. "Something bothering you Gilmore?"

Marla stopped humming and shook her head. "I'm fine."

"What was that you were humming?"

"An old Irish lullaby that my mom used to sing to me," Marla replied.

"What brought that up?"

"I was in sickbay earlier," Marla replied. "Did you know about the Borg baby?"

The woman above nodded her head. "Scuttlebutt has it she was one of the children rescued from the Borg ship."

"I heard," Marla said. "It was- it was just a surprise seeing her in person." Marla paused. "She was beautiful."

"I think you're in love," the other said as she lay back on the bunk then tossed a pillow down at her. "Go to sleep."

Marla smiled and tossed the pillow back before rolling over and closing her eyes. But the baby's face came to her mind unbidden and she found it hard to go to sleep.

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"Captain, you wanted to see me?" Marla asked after joining Janeway in her ready room.

"Yes," Janeway said as she gestured to the couch. Marla tentatively sat down on it. "Can I get you some coffee?"

Marla shook her head. "What can I do for you?"

"I wanted to talk to you about the baby," Janeway replied. "She's going to need someone to take care of her."

Marla suddenly understood. " You want me to take her."

"I saw you with her yesterday," Janeway said. "You have a way with her and I think it would be good for you." When Marla was silent, Janeway went on. "I don't need an answer now, but the offer includes some time off so you can get to know each other and small quarters."

"I'll have to think it over," Marla said finally.

"Take your time," Janeway said. "This is a decision that you can't just make. Let me know when you make up you mind."

Marla nodded and sat silent for a minute before looking back up at Janeway. "Am I dismissed?"

"Dismissed," Janeway said and watched as the younger woman stood and left the room.

In the corridor just outside the ready room, Marla stopped and thought about the captain's words. Then she thought about the baby who had given her such a sleepless night. Without even realizing it, she found her feet walking and soon she was in sickbay.

"Another headache?" the doctor asked upon her arrival.

Marla shook her head. "I just came by to visit the baby."

Doc nodded. "You are certainly welcome to." He gestured to the incubation unit where the baby lay.

Marla cautiously made her way over to the unit and looked down on the baby. She turned her tiny head towards Marla and grinned with recognition. Marla couldn't help but smile back. Carefully, she picked up the baby and began talking softly to her. Suddenly, she looked up at the doctor. "She needs a name."

"Then name her," Doc said as he went about his business.

Marla looked back down at the baby. "How about... Amanda?"

"That's lovely," Doc said. "I'll put that down in her chart."

Marla glanced back at him. "The captain thinks I should adopt her."

"Should I begin the process?"

Marla silently watched the baby as she gurgled and cooed in her arms. She looked at Doc. "What do you think?"

"I think you'll make a wonderful mother," Doc said.

Marla smiled. "Make it so," she said.


End file.
